Story Structure in Graphic Novels — American Born Chinese

Should I stand alone against the majority? Should I sacrifice my own desires for the sake of the group? Am I crazy for seeing the Emperor has no clothes or are they crazy?

This battle between individuality and conformity is very common in us all and we have plenty of stories to show for it: The Godfather, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, American Beauty, Glengarry Glen Ross, Office Space…

Often, you can tell you’ve got this type of story by ensemble casts and multiple stories about one thing, like: Ragtime, Robert Altman films, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and… American Born Chinese (one of my favorite graphic novels)!

What would you do if your brother lost his mind… literally? Will Doom find Danger's runaway brain before the test at school, or will he have a brainless brother forever?!

Short Notes on Long Comics

Three-Act Story Structure in Graphic Novels

"Short Notes on Long Comics is awesome!”
— Calista Brill, Editor for First Second Books

Short Notes on Long Comics will show you how three-act story structure is used in 10 of the most popular graphic novels on the market. From their example, you can learn how to structure your own story and make your graphic novel the best it can be.